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State Use Program

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The State Use Program promotes a desirable socioeconomic goal by using the tremendous purchasing power of State government as a catalyst in employing persons with significant disabilities.

Created by the 1983 enactment of the State Use Law (now located at 30 ILCS 500/45-35), the Program provides long-term employment opportunities for people working in qualified not-for-profit agencies by encouraging all State of Illinois Agencies to purchase products and services produced and provided by persons with significant disabilities.

Such not-for-profit agencies, which include federally certified work centers (i.e. sheltered workshops) and certain types of vocational programs providing transitional services to youth, provide vocational training, long-term work experience and marketable job skills, which are significant aids in reducing high unemployment for persons living with a disability. At the same time, State of Illinois Agencies participating in the Program are assured of high quality products and services at fair market prices, reduced administrative costs, on-time delivery and a central point of contact for assistance. All proposed purchases are independently reviewed and approved by the State Use Committee to ensure the finest quality and pricing available.

In FY ’13, qualified not-for-profit agencies had more than $34 million in contracts with the State.